The world's most expensive cities to live in, revealed

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Think your home city is getting pricey? Just check out the cost of living in some of these expensive spots.

Based on the cost of over 200 goods and services – including the price of gas, a cup of coffee, fast food, a pair of jeans and a cinema ticket -- Mercer have published the results of their 24th annual Cost of Living Survey.

The survey reveals the most expensive cities in the world to live in, and some of the results may surprise you…

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10. Bern, Switzerland

Cities in Switzerland saw some of this year’s biggest rise in rankings in the list, with two of the country’s cities making the top 10. Coming in at 10th place is Bern, a Swiss city popular with expats. Consumer prices in Switzerland are over 50% more costly than the EU average, one of the factors making Bern so expensive.

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9. Beijing, China

The capital of China, it's no surprise that Beijing made the top 10 list, as it is one of the most unaffordable cities in the world for housing.

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8. N'Djamena, Chad

N'Djamena, the capital and largest city in Chad, rose seven places this year to make it into the top 10 list of most expensive countries in the world. Deemed unsafe for tourists, the Australian government advises against all travel to N'Djamena and Chad.

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7. Shanghai, China

Coming in at 7th place, Shanghai is the second of three major Chinese cities to make the top 10 list. Explaining why China has three entries in this years top 10 most expensive cities list, Yvonne Traber, Global Mobility Product Solutions Leader at Mercer explained, "Stronger Chinese monetary regulation, a flourishing economy and a push to have the Chinese Yuan as an international currency pushed Chinese cities up in the ranking."

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6. Luanda, Angola

Previously ranked as the most expensive city in the world, Luanda in Angola drops to 6th position this year, although it still remains the most expensive city to live in in Africa. Luanda's drop in ranking this year is due in part to the downward trend in the city's housing market.

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5. Seoul, South Korea

Seoul takes 5th place in the ranking of most expensive cities. The price of everyday commodities is exceptionally high; even a cup of coffee comes in at over $13 – that's three entire Happy Meals – taking out the most expensive city to buy a coffee in the world.

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4. Singapore, Singapore

While cinema tickets, coffees and fast-food meals might be cheaper here than in other Asian cities, the cost of owning a car is one of the reasons this city is so expensive. The government is known to implement deliberate policies that make car ownership expensive, in order to keep vehicles off the roads and limit congestion.

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3. Zurich, Switzerland

At number three in the global ranking, Zurich remains the most costly European city, with the cost of a cinema ticket setting locals back by around $27, and a pair of new jeans costing nearly 200 bucks. Zurich was also highlighted as the city in the world with the most expensive fast food. A simple hamburger meal will set you back nearly $20.

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2. Tokyo, Japan

Taking second place is Japan's busy capital city, Tokyo. With an eye-wateringly expensive housing market and hig- cost commodities, you may be able to visit on a budget, but living here will cost you quite a bit more.

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1. Hong Kong, HKSAR

Taking the top spot as the most expensive city in the world for 2018 is Hong Kong. House prices, luxury lifestyles, and the cost of a litre of gasoline rank this as the most expensive city on the list this year.